## Sefer HaChinukh Mitzvah 255

###### Sefer HaChinukh 255:1
[Sefer HaChinukh 255:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sefer%20HaChinukh/r/255:1)

**שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אוֹב** – שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אוֹב, וְלֹא נִפְנֶה אַחֲרָיו. כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁאַל בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט לא) אַל תִּפְנוּ אֶל הָאֹבֹת. וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא, שֶׁמַּקְטִירִין קְטֹרֶת יְדוּעָה, וְעוֹשִׂין מַעֲשִׂים יְדוּעִים, וּבְאוֹתָם הָעִנְיָנִים יִדְמֶה לָאָדָם שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע דִּבּוּר מִתַּחַת הַשֶּׁחִי שֶׁיַּעֲנֶה לוֹ בַּמֶּה שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל, זֶהוּ מִין אֶחָד מִמִּינָיו. וּלְשׁוֹן סִפְרָא (קדושים ז י) אוֹב זֶה פִּיתוֹם הַמְדַבֵּר מִשֶּׁחְיוֹ.

**Sefer HaChinukh, translated by R. Francis Nataf, Sefaria 2018:**
**To not do an act of *ov*:** To not do an act of *ov* — and that we not turn to it; meaning to say, that we not ask of it, as it is stated (Leviticus 19:31), “Do not turn to the *ovs*.” And the content is that they offer well-known incense and perform well-known acts; and through these things, it appears to a person that he hears speech from under the armpit that answers what he will ask. And this is one of its types. And the language of Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 7:10 [is] “*Ov* is *pitom* which speaks from his armpit.”


###### Sefer HaChinukh 255:2
[Sefer HaChinukh 255:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sefer%20HaChinukh/r/255:2)

מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי מִצְוָה זוֹ. מָה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּאִסּוּר מְנַחֵשׁ וּמְעוֹנֵן (מצוה רמט), וּמִכֵּיוָן שֶׁכָּל אֵלּוּ הַהֲבָלִים גּוֹרְמִין לוֹ לָאָדָם לְהַנִּיחַ דָּת הָאֱמֶת הָעִקָּרִית וֶאֱמוּנַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִפְנֶה אַחַר הַהֶבֶל וְיַחְשֹׁב כִּי כָּל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרֵהוּ יִהְיֶה עָלָיו דֶּרֶךְ מִקְרֶה, וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּיָדוֹ לְהֵטִיב לְעַצְמוֹ וּלְסַלֵּק מֵעָלָיו כָּל נֶזֶק בְּאוֹתָן שְׁאֵלוֹת וְתַחְבֻּלוֹת שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה, וְכָל זֶה אֵינֶנּוּ שֹׁוֶה לוֹ, כִּי הַכֹּל נִגְזָר מֵאֵת אֲדוֹן הָעוֹלָם, וּלְפִי מַעֲשֵׂה הַכֹּשֶׁר אוֹ הַחֵטְא אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם יִתְחַדְּשׁוּ עָלָיו מַעֲשִׂים אִם טוֹב וְאִם רָע, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איוב לד יא) כִּי פֹעַל אָדָם יְשַׁלֶּם לוֹ. וְעַל זֶה רָאוּי לוֹ לָאָדָם לְהָכִין כָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו וּלְכַוֵּן כָּל דְּרָכָיו, וְזוֹ הִיא מַחְשֶׁבֶת כָּל אָדָם מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַטּוֹבִים. וְעוֹד שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּעִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁל אוֹב וְיִדְּעוֹנִי צַד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. פְּרָטֵי הַמִּצְוָה בְּפֶרֶק שְׁבִיעִי מִסַּנְהֶדְרִין [הלכות עבודה זרה פ"ו].

**Sefer HaChinukh, translated by R. Francis Nataf, Sefaria 2018:**
That which we have written on the prohibition of the diviner and the soothsayer (Sefer HaChinukh 249, 250) is from the roots of this commandment. And [it is] since all of these nullities cause a person to leave the true fundamental religion and faith in God, may He be blessed; and to turn to emptiness and think that everything that happens to him, happens by way of circumstance; and that it is in his hand to better himself and remove all injury from him with those questions and nullities that he will do. And all of this is not worth it for him, since everything is decreed by the Master of the World. And according to the proper deed or the sin that a person does, do things occur to him — whether good or whether bad — and as it is written (Job 34:11), “For the action of a man does He pay to him.” And upon this it is fitting for a person to order all of his thoughts and to prepare all of his ways. And this is the thought of every person of the good Children of Israel. And also, as there is a tinge of idolatry in this matter of *ov* and *yida’aoni*. The details of the commandment are in the seventh chapter of *Sanhedrin*. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 6.)


###### Sefer HaChinukh 255:3
[Sefer HaChinukh 255:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sefer%20HaChinukh/r/255:3)

וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְעָשָׂה הָאוֹב בְּמֵזִיד וְעֵדִים נִסְקָל, וְאִם אֵין עֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה בְּכָרֵת, בְּשׁוֹגֵג מֵבִיא חַטָּאת קְבוּעָה, וְהַנִּשְׁאָל בָּהֶן בְּלָאו וְאִם כִּוֵּן מַעֲשָׂיו וְעָשָׂה כְּמַאֲמָרָן לוֹקֶה.

**Sefer HaChinukh, translated by R. Francis Nataf, Sefaria 2018:**
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and does [an act of] the *ov* volitionally and [in view of] witnesses is stoned. And if there are no witnesses [or] warning, it is with excision; [and if done] inadvertently, he brings a fixed sin-offering. And one who inquires of them [only violates] a negative commandment; but if he plans his actions and does according to their words, he is lashed.